2018 Milestones

               a.  Child Injury Prevention (CIP)

With their inherent vulnerability, children are always at risk when it comes to injuries. While child injuries are highly preventable, according to the Department of Health (2010), accidental drowning & submersion and transport accidents belong to the top 10 causes of mortality in several age groups.  Falls, burns and poisoning also registered numerous cases among Filipino children, prompting them to be included in the leaded causes of child injuries in the Philippines (Arcadio 2011). To address these statistics and the bigger problem surrounding it, a national policy on child injury prevention (DOH Administrative Order 2006-0016) was crafted in 2006 as part of the Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP).

Eventually, 12 years after the release of the policy, difficulties in implementing the policy have crippled multi-sectoral efforts to improve child injury prevention. In response to the urgent need to update the Administrative Order, Physicians for Peace Philippines (PFPP), with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), collaborated with the DOH to support policy and advocacy initiatives for child injury prevention.

As the project nears completion, PFPP is now focusing on the CIP Promotion Plan which shall be done with the support of the DOH Health Promotion & Communication Service. This plan is a crucial step towards an inclusive and effective child injury prevention advocacy cascading from the national level to the grassroots.

               b.  Children with Disabilities (CWD)

 Children with disabilities are considered to be one of the most marginalized sectors, experiencing social and economic disadvantages and violations of their rights. Children with disabilities from poor families tend to have no access to appropriate health programs and basic education, compared to their richer counterparts who can avail of these services. Children with disabilities not only encounter physical disadvantage but also have to struggle with the social connotation of the disability, affecting not only the child, but the family as well. Access to health services are also often restricted by the limited understanding about the needs of children with disabilities.

As a response to these challenges, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Physicians for Peace Philippines (PFPP) entered into a project cooperation agreement to enhance access to assistive technologies and rehabilitation for CWDs.

Now on its Phase 3, the Project will focus on strengthening Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban as a hub in Region 8 and link it with community-based rehabilitation in remote municipalities, such as Mapanas in Northern Samar. PFP Philippines is starting planning with EVRMC for a hub in the Visayas. The project is expected to be completed and running by end of 2019. Another leg of the project is the SPMC ACCESS in Davao City where nurse navigators will assist patients in going through different departments/ areas of the hospital and ensure follow up and completion of management and rehabilitation.

This PFP Philippines and UNICEF partnership also enabled PhilHealth to develop Z-Benefit Packages for children with mobility, developmental, vision and hearing impairments.

               c.  ACCESS Hub at Philippine General Hospital (PGH)

In April 18, 2018, PFP Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital and UNICEF launched the PGH ACCESS Hub, the first ever one-stop center for CWDs in the country. The hub includes services for developmental pediatrics, mobility, vision and hearing all in one area to facilitate consultations and follow up for CWDs.

              d.  PFPP’s 20^th Anniversary Celebration

Last November 8, 2018, PFPP celebrated its 20 years of service in public health and the development of community health programs at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila with their founder, Dr. Juan Montero II, members of the board, partners in service – Philippine General Hospital, Department of Health, PhilHealth and more, – donors and benefactors, volunteers and staff, families and friends.

               e.  Programs

 Walking Free

• 222 patients were given prostheses during missions in Daet and Labo, Camarines Norte; Digos, Davao del Sur; San Jose, Camarines Sur; Odiongan, Romblon; Indang and Taal, Cavite; and Balaoan, La Union
• 396 wheelchairs and 253 assistive mobility devices were provisioned

 Seeing Clearly

• Vision Screening and Save the Sight of a Child
  • 32 Schools visited: 9,614 students were vision screened and 958 of them were provided with prescription eyeglasses
• Community
  • 3 Communities visited: 482 patients were vision screened and provided with eyeglasses
    • Sagay, Camiguin
    • San Jose, Camarines Sur
    • San Jose, Batangas
  • 2 PFPP Clinics: 629 patients were vision screened and provided with eyeglasses
    • Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte
    • Bacolor/San Fernando, Pampanga
  • Training on Vision Screening: 328 teachers, 468 parents and 97 students were trained

 Hearing Health Care

• 110 patients (73 children and 57 adults) were provided with hearing aids in Guinayangan, Quezon; San Jose, Camarines Sur; and Dipaculao, Baler, Aurora in partnership with Better Hearing Philippines

Burn Care and Rehabilitation

• 16 burn patients were healed
• Held the 7^th Burn Care and Rehabilitation Conference, “The Essentials”, at The Pearl Manila Hotel which was attended by 177 delegates
• 2 burn patients were sent to the United States for further treatment through the help of PAL Foundation and hosts in USA

 Multi-Specialty and Surgery Program

• Guinayangan, Quezon
  • 54 Evaluated Patients for surgery
  • 54 Patients underwent minor surgeries
• Rural Health Unit – San Jose, Camarines Sur
  • 33 Evaluated Patients for surgery
  • 24 Patients underwent minor surgeries